“The one suspect showed two employees a firearm before escorting the manager to the safe in the back room.
“The suspects then began looting the store, stealing several cellphones,” she said.
“The men fled the centre and jumped into a BMW which was waiting near gate three inside the complex car park.”
The men allegedly parked in the secure parking and escaped by tailgating a car at the boom while it was leaving the parking area.
Janse van Rensburg said within minutes of the robbery police received a tip-off that the car had been spotted at a house in Delta Street, Morningside.
“As police arrived at the house a man was leaving the yard.
“Police questioned him and while this was happening, a resident informed them more men were jumping over the boundary wall in a bid to escape,” she said.
“The police gave chase and together with the K9 unit managed to arrest all five men believed to have been involved.”
Two of the suspects were tackled by the police dog while trying to escape.
Janse van Rensburg said a search of the house was carried out where 167 cellphones were recovered and the getaway car seized.
Detectives remained on the scene until late on Sunday night to gather information.
“Investigators will be probing whether these suspects could be linked to other business robberies in and around Port Elizabeth where cellphones were stolen,” Janse van Rensburg added.
Several cellphone stores across the Bay were robbed in 2019.
Mount Road cluster commander, Major General Thembisile Patekile, said the arrest was a result of streamlined communication and teamwork.
The suspects, aged 22-35, will appear in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday for armed robbery.
Five Baywest Mall cellphone robbery suspects arrested
Image: supplied
Five men believed to have robbed MTN at the Baywest Mall on Sunday afternoon were arrested and 167 cellphones valued at about R1m recovered.
The arrests came within an hour of the robbery after police were tipped off and found the gang hiding at a house in Morningside.
The bust has led police to broaden their investigation into whether the gang is also responsible for other robberies in the Bay.
Police spokesperson Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg said the men robbed the cellphone shop inside the mall at about 2.30pm.
Image: SUPPLIED
“The one suspect showed two employees a firearm before escorting the manager to the safe in the back room.
“The suspects then began looting the store, stealing several cellphones,” she said.
“The men fled the centre and jumped into a BMW which was waiting near gate three inside the complex car park.”
The men allegedly parked in the secure parking and escaped by tailgating a car at the boom while it was leaving the parking area.
Janse van Rensburg said within minutes of the robbery police received a tip-off that the car had been spotted at a house in Delta Street, Morningside.
“As police arrived at the house a man was leaving the yard.
“Police questioned him and while this was happening, a resident informed them more men were jumping over the boundary wall in a bid to escape,” she said.
“The police gave chase and together with the K9 unit managed to arrest all five men believed to have been involved.”
Two of the suspects were tackled by the police dog while trying to escape.
Janse van Rensburg said a search of the house was carried out where 167 cellphones were recovered and the getaway car seized.
Detectives remained on the scene until late on Sunday night to gather information.
“Investigators will be probing whether these suspects could be linked to other business robberies in and around Port Elizabeth where cellphones were stolen,” Janse van Rensburg added.
Several cellphone stores across the Bay were robbed in 2019.
Mount Road cluster commander, Major General Thembisile Patekile, said the arrest was a result of streamlined communication and teamwork.
The suspects, aged 22-35, will appear in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday for armed robbery.
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